Well My Shift At Work Yesterday Was The Most Traumatic Afternoon Ever!

[RATTER15]

As some of you will know, I work in a specialised unit for people with advanced dementia. One of our residents is a really kind and gentle man and very affectionate and loves all the ladies and is a real flirt.
Most nights on going to bed he gets very confused and usually reverts back to the war and his time in Singapore. So he wont settle in bed until I have reassured him that he doesnt need his gun or his knife and grenades beside him next to his bed and the home is very secure and he is safe.
the last few weeks we have been getting more concerned about his mental health.

Well I arrived at work yesterday at 13.30 to find this kind man in the garden with two police officers that had been called to control him and for the safety of other residents and staff, he was picking up heavy garden ornaments and throwing at the staff and the police, and was trying to stab a policeman with a piece of wood.

Against their advice I went into the garden and calmed the gent, we always had a good relationship and we sat down on the garden bench and chatted.

For the first time he spoke openly about his experiences in Singapore when the Japanese army advanced, only he was now reliving this in the present, the passing cars were military vehicles, and most of the staff and other residents were spies that were trying to kill us and he was protecting us all, he then tried to run for cover as a Police helicopter passed overhead.

He cried hysterically as he described how "only yesterday" the Japanese soldiers screamed as he plunged a bayonet into them, and the noise the bayonet made as it entered their bodies and as he withdrew the bayonet! and how he had to cut the throat of a Japanese soldier to silence him from all the screaming and all the blood that came from him.

I can tell you that there wasn't a dry eye in the house amongst the staff. We clearly needed professional help for this man, through his dementia, he was now dealing with, what I would imagine was now PTSD.

By evening the poor man was exhausted, still crying and still trying to stay alert against the incoming Japanese soldiers that were trying to invade the home.

Then I noticed the hustle and bustle of a few strange faces in the building and I noticed a GP, I managed to settle him enough for a medical examination and a quick chat with his Counsellor. Our only option was to have him "sectioned" and he was later taken to the mental health unit of a hospital.

It was very fortunate that he knew one of the nurses that accompanied him and he got into the ambulance calmly. My concern now is how he will be treated, very often these places rely heavily on Anti-psychotic drugs.

I came home from work at 22.30 mentally drained, hoping I never have to witness anybody so distraught like that ever again.

[Maydup]

..... whilst all the rest of us can do is moan about the weather. Respect Ratter.

[Peter Pedant]

Poor guy

and poor you- you should try to informally discuss it with your co-workers - they for a start will know what you went thro since they did.
and if there is a de-brief make sure you turn up

Remember at this stage - they are his memories
The military vehicles for example are - the British running away
and the spies - well the chinese ( in Singapore ) didnt much like the Japanese .....

[maclarencat]

Sounds very traumatic for you as well as him and I hope you are coping with the stress your workplace brings to you. I hope he gets the help he needs and can have some peace. I help with ex-service men and some of the tales they relate to me are beyond my belief that any human being should have to cope with the memories they have. I would say they are all heros but many had no choice . The nation made these men suffer in this way. It is my belief that if the heads of state of the countries had to fight for their beliefs instead of the young of the country there would be far fewer wars. Put the prime ministers etc in a room and tell them to fight to the death ,then lets see how many wars there are.

[Bathsheba]

So sorry for the poor poor man, and for you also Ratter....must have been a nightmare :(

A friend of mine went to visit an elderly neighbour of hers who had been admitted to hospital....the nurses said that at night he would scream out Japanese words in terror.

Take it easy + debrief with a professional if you can

x x

[ummmm]

How awful, poor fella, that must be really scary.

[pastafreak]

I could cry over this...he must be in so much mental anguish. I do hope he'll be able to come back to the home,as a secure unit sounds dreadful for him. I hope that you too are able to rest both mentally and physically.

[RATTER15]

Pasta, The home is an EMI unit so it is also secure, however the other residents are very vulnerable and totally unable to defend themselves, so really very unlikely he will ever be be able to return.

[mikey4444]

Yes, respect to you Ratter. I am not sure I could do your job...in fact I am pretty sure I couldn't. The patience of Job is required. But you did all you could, under the circumstances. Thanks goodness you were on the scene.

What people like your patient needs is not bucket-loads of drugs but therapy, from trained staff. Our record of treating people with mental health problems is abysmal in this country, and getting worse, if recent press reports are to be taken seriously.

This is not a party-political point. Mental health care has always been the poor relation if the NHS, and its about time that we all started to make enough noise and bother, so that the relevant authorities have no choice but to sit up and take notice.

We had problems in the past with a family member, and it was only when she threatened to throw herself off the roof, that the local Mental Health Team finally moved in and started some proper treatment. One of the Team is an old school friend of mine and he has openly said, on numerous previous occasions, that they just don't have enough money or resources.

Anyway, once again....well done Ratter !

[woofgang]

I was involved in similar in a hospital many years ago. The gentleman in question went to a very specialist unit for people who were frail elderly whose dementia had made them unmanageably violent. I think that all regions have such a unit, its not a common outcome of dementia but a very sad one.

[askyourgran]

That is so sad RATTER I've no idea how they treat elderly patients but PTSD sounds pretty near to what the poor man is still suffering with, compounded by his dementia it must be difficult to get through to him, although he must be terrified. It is an awful thought that they drug them to the point of immobility.

[jourdain2]

I also say 'Well Done', but that's not what you need. You are going to need to offload to someone, preferably trained, in order to detach enough to keep going effectively. Everyone who has read this will have that poor man's nightmare existence in mind. Until 2 years ago I knew someone who was in Singapore - he let things out in dribs and drabs. My thoughts are with you and him. x

[tonyav]

Major respect to you RATTER for dealing / coping with this incident.

[marval]

How draining for you Ratter, well done for doing what you do.

I hope he can settle somewhere.

[DaisyNonna]

I hope that by telling us about this awful experience has perhaps lightened the load, if only a little, for you.
Terrible for this poor man to have such frightening memories and to be transported back to where, for him, it was still happening.
Terrible for you to be in a position to have to deal with this, knowing him as a gentle person and fearing for his future 'treatment'.
You are doing a job most of us would avoid at all costs.
Thanks.

[Kimdottir]

It is horrible. I've seen it twice now at work and somehow they seemed to know and just went quietly, but it's upsetting.

[ladyalex]

Well done Ratter.
You sound as though you coped exceptionally well with a truly dreadfully sad and frightening situation.
I do hope that the poor old chap gets sympathetic treatment. I suspect, as you do, that there will little option other than major tranquillisers to begin with, but hopefully these can be gradually reduced once the terrible anxiety has subsided.
I am not aware of any 'talking therapy' for PTSD in patients who are also demented so I suppose that the outlook is a little bleak.
We can only hope that those treating him will give him as little medication as is necessary but which still does the job.
Once more, well done.

[tamborine]

http://support.britishlegion.org.uk/app/answers/detail/a_id/57/~/combat-stress---the-veterans-mental-health-charity

Well done Ratter for winning the poor mans trust and being able to calm him. I hope you get help for your trauma. The British Legion would be able to help your patient.

[RATTER15]

Thanks for all you kind comments, all the staff concerned sat and had a good chat about what happened and we are all fine thanks. This poor guy will now be taken care of by the mental health team at the hospital. Tambo, the British Legion wont be able to help him, everything he is told is forgotten within 10 minutes and he then reverts back to this time in his life, and due to his "section" I doubt the BL. will be able to access him.

[ladyalex]

Being 'sectioned' only means you cannot leave hospital. It does not mean that you cannot have visitors .
Hispitals where patients on 'section' are admitted are not prisons.....unless they are 'Secure Hospitals' where the rules may be different.
So, the British Legion could have access to him, but they would need to know of his existance and need.
Perhaps a relative could approach the BL on his behalf?

[woofgang]

sorry, but what could the British Legion do?